What Are They Selling? Helping Your Kids Say "No!"

Do you ever feel helpless in the face of the massive
advertising campaigns directed at your children?

While watching television, our family has found a way
to educate our children about the advertising methods
used in commercials. We play a game called "What
Are They Trying to Sell Us?"

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Whenever a commercial comes on the air, we ask our
kids to tell us what's being sold, and we also ask what
methods are being used to convince us to buy the
products. The kids love this game because the answer
is not always obvious. Sometimes the commercials
are subtle, and it can be challenging for young children
to identify what's being sold.

By becoming aware of the methods used, our children
are finding themselves amused at attempts to convince
them they will be more appealing, smarter, etc., by
purchasing various items. Rather than passively
watching television commercials, this game helps
teach that commercials are trying to manipulate
people's behavior through the media.

By becoming aware of the subtleties of advertising,
children and adults alike can become stronger to
withstand the commercial onslaught in our daily lives.

About The Author: Copyright 2002/2004 Deborah Taylor-HoughUsed with permission. All rights reserved.